85% of the pediatric population has seen a dentist in the last year. What about your child?
Healthy gums are essential to excellent dental health for your children. If you want your kids to grow up with healthy teeth, it’s important to find a pediatric dentist in your area whom you see regularly. You can find a pediatric dentist in almost every small city, but ultimately you only want the most qualified person you can trust.
Toddler teeth require delicate care and an extensive understanding of the developmental process. The gums are the base for future growth, and a pediatric dentist can provide the best healthcare to your child.
Are you looking for a pediatric dentist in your area and want to know about gum health?
In this article, we will walk you through everything you need to know about keeping your child’s gums healthy and where to look for a specialized child dentist.
Starting Young
It’s important to start good oral hygiene habits early. Research shows that an individual’s oral health is closely tied to their overall health. It’s important for kids to learn young how to establish a good routine in the morning and at bedtime.
Most kids will have approximately 20 primary teeth. Eventually, these will be replaced by 32 teeth that are permanent. The permanent teeth can come in very young, sometimes as early as 6 to 7 years old.
If a child learns to take care of their primary and permanent teeth, they are more likely to have healthy gums and teeth as an adult.
Tips For Basic Care
So how do you take care of your child’s teeth and gums? For young kids between 1 to 3 years old, there are a few tips that most dentists are going to discuss with you at your first visit.
First of all, once your child has their first tooth coming in, you should make an appointment with the dentist. Most kids should get their first tooth by the time they are one year old, so if this hasn’t happened, ask your dentist if there may be any issues.
You also want to teach your child how to drink out of a cup after they are about six months old. It’s generally not a good idea to use sugary drinks at bedtime. The sugar can build up on the teeth and damage them over time. If you’re giving your child formula, juice, or milk at bedtime, see if you can do this earlier on in the day and clean their teeth before bed.
Diet is actually a very important component of your child’s dental health. If you can avoid sweets and starchy foods, you’ll be able to keep tooth decay at bay. These kinds of foods can ultimately lead to gum disease, so sticking to vegetables and healthier foods is paramount.
You also want to be able to lead by example. If you model good dental health for your child, they’ll begin to take after you. Make sure you brush your own teeth twice a day using an up-to-date soft-bristled toothbrush. Your toothpick should always use fluoride, and you should try to floss once per day.
Some parents also want to teach their children to use mouthwash after meals, and this is a great idea.
Developmental Issues
Having healthy teeth and gums as a child can actually help them improve their speech later on. Healthy teeth and gums also promote facial development and increase the likelihood that their adult teeth will be able to move into place properly.
Dental disease is surprisingly common in the pediatric population. However, most of the problems that pediatric dentists see can be eliminated with good oral care.
Cleaning Your Child’s Teeth
You should use a clean washcloth that has been dampened or a soft toothbrush to clean your child’s gums and teeth. Every time that they eat food, whether at a snack or at mealtime, you should clean their teeth.
Pediatric Dentists Dr. Hogan and Dr. Berganske
If you’re looking for a pediatric dentist in the Suwanee, Georgia area, look no further. Dr. Rhonda Hogan and Dr. Shelley Berganske are the leading and most trusted pediatric dentists in this corner of Georgia.
They know that caring for a child takes an extra special touch. It’s important that your child does not become afraid of the dentist, and our dentists keep this at the forefront of their minds at all times. They see kids for regular cleanings and exams, cavity fillings, and they also serve a special needs population that needs sedation so that the dental experience is not traumatic.
They also provide dentistry for infants, scheduling infant exams before a child’s first birthday. They’ll talk to you as a parent even if your child has not had a tooth grown in yet.
Finding A Pediatric Dentist In Your Area
At the end of the day, if you’re looking for a pediatric dentist in the Suwanee, Georgia area, look no further. Dr. Rhonda Hogan and Dr. Shelley Berganske provide top-tier clinical care to children of all ages.
Ultimately, you want to establish a relationship with the pediatric provider before your child turns a year old. This will ensure that there are no issues with teeth coming in, and you can establish healthy routines for keeping gums in top shape. This will lead to improved development of the face, gums, and teeth as the child transitions to adulthood.
If you enjoyed this article about pediatric dentistry, please check out the other articles on our blog!